Bradford Bulls are closer to being rescued from liquidation than at any stage since the scale of their financial problems emerged in the spring, after the Rugby Football League's board of directors requested further details from the fourth group to express interest in buying the club.

The RFL has already rejected two offers from a consortium known as ABC because they were conditional on the club's continued Super League membership and on reclaiming ownership of their Odsal stadium, and after a second group, including the city's MP Gerry Sutcliffe, failed to submit a written bid, an unorthodox rescue package from the rest of the Super League clubs was shaping as the only viable option.

But once the administrator Brendan Guilfoyle revealed that he had received a fresh bid last Friday, the RFL directors expressed far more positive vibes. Crucially, the latest offer is missing the conditions that scuppered the ABC bids – and the fact that the League has asked for further financial information is confirmation that it is being seriously considered. It will also be seen as vindication of the stance taken by the other Super League clubs to save one of British rugby league's more resonant names, as that seems to have helped to flush out this latest interest.

Nigel Wood, the RFL's chief executive, is currently in Australia for talks with the commission now running the game in the southern hemisphere, which are understood to include the possibility of reviving the Great Britain team for a first Lions tour since 1992. He took part in a conference call about the Bradford bid with his deputy chief executive Ralph Rimmer and the League's three non-executive directors, including the acting chairman Maurice Watkins.

Bradford could pull level with Hull KR in the eighth and last qualifying position for Super League's Grand Final play-offs if they can beat Rovers at Odsal on Friday night, although Guilfoyle expressed his sympathy for Mick Potter, the Australian coach who has been working on an unpaid basis since he was made redundant."I understand the frustration of fans, players and staff that we haven't sold the club yet," he said. "The administrators have a duty to creditors to aim to get the best deal possible so we submit all offers where funds are proved. This new offer is for more than Super League (Europe) Ltd put forward so we felt obliged to submit to the RFL for consideration."

Tony Martin, an Australian centre who joined Hull last winter after making his name with London Broncos and Melbourne Storm, has confirmed that the achilles injury he suffered in a derby against Hull KR at Manchester's Etihad Stadium in May has ended his career.